Dust
by orangeyhairedimmortal
Summary: Where did Captain Hook come from? What is his relationship with Peter Pan really? What if it wasn't just about a boy and a grown man having a feud about a silly hand being thrown to a crocodile? What if the underlying problem was something so very different? This is the story of how Captain James Hook and Peter Pan began, evolved, and became the infamous duelers of Neverland.


**England 1748**

**The Walrus**

"Captain Johnathan Flint, you are hereby condemned to this deserted island to live out the rest of your days."

Captain Flint turned around, looking at his crew that he thought was so loyal to him. He looked at his first mate, the one who styled the mutiny, and at the rest of the other crew members. He locked eyes with three of his crewmen, the few that didn't take part in the mutiny and then closed his eyes. A pirate pushed him forward on the extended plank of wood that was outstretched over the murky ocean and Captain Flint stepped over the edge, a splash being heard not too far after. After it was confirmed that he had not swam back to the ship, they set sail and the first mate looked at the small group of pirates who had refused to take part in the mutiny.

"You best count your stars that you three are valuable members of the crew or you would be at the bottom of the ocean along with that lily-livered dog. Now everyone get back to work!"

Everyone went back to their posts.

James Hook, one of the crew members who did not participate in the mutiny looked at his two companions, Shaymus Smee and William Jukes.

"We need to escape and find our own ship. I don't want to be under his leadership anymore than I did when he was just the first mate. At the first light of day, I am going to jump ship and take a skiff to the mainland. We can take a ship and gather a crew from there."

"That sounds like a good plan to me. But how will we do it without him seeing us?"

"I'm not quite sure but… but I don't want to stay here. Flint was a good captain who doesn't deserve to be marooned like this."

"Do you know how to captain a crew, James?" Billy asked, looking at the young man with a none-too-convinced look.

James looked at the heavily tattooed man with his steely blue eyes, determination in them.

"No one is ready to command a crew until it comes to it. I know I can do it."

"I believe in you, lad." Shaymus said, patting the young man on the back. "You did good not to participate in the mutiny. I'll be with you every step of the way."

James nodded at the older man and looked at Billy, hoping for a confirmed answer. Billy rolled his eyes and nodded. James nodded and they went to their respective posts as to not cause any further looks and James began to plot his escape.

* * *

"What are you thinking about, boy?" Silver asked as James peeled the potatoes in the galley.

James looked up at the burly man and turned away, knowing full well that John Silver was one of the men that the first mate had confided in the mutiny with. James had never liked the peg-legged cook ever since he was acquired onto _The Walrus_ and began his apprenticeship in the kitchens. He didn't like the way Silver seemed to be watching his every move, keeping his one good on him and when is back was turned, he made his annoying parrot (also disrespectfully named Flint) watch over him and squawk at every wrong turn.

"Nothing, sir. Just peeling the potatoes for tonight. I can't think while I'm making dinner?"

Silver smacked him in the back of the head, as he usually did when James made a smart remark, and caused James to drop his potato as well as the knife.

"Thinking causes action, boy. How do you think Bones got the notion to betray his captain? All by thinking in the depths of his work just like you're doing, lad. You best have a blank expression on your face at all times lest I tell Bones you're plotting something."

James made a face at the man and grabbed another potato, working on making his face look like he wasn't thinking or even staring into space and thinking at the same time. Ever since he had gotten onto the ship, he'd had to learn a lot of things from just doing them. He would add this to his list of many things.

Smee walked in with a huge pot and grabbed a bucket of water to pour it into the pot. He then pulled out two fish and began to slice them open to get the meat out. If nothing else, Mr. Smee was a good man and a loyal friend. When James got onto the ship and was sent to the galley, Mr. Smee was the first one to welcome him and actually show him how to do something. He told him about the crew members and their temperaments, working with John Silver, and what it was like to be under Captain Flint's command.

The older man didn't seem like much when James had gotten onto the ship. Portly yet lovable and loyal with white balding hair, a red cap, and gleaming brown eyes was not what James considered the ideal pirate but he had shown him that not everyone with pirating experience looked as menacing as Captain Flint had. Mr. Smee taught him in their spare time how to defend himself, how to cook when Silver was 'elsewhere', how to mend, how to do various tasks on the ship. Without the help of Mr. Smee, there was no doubt that he would have been thrown overboard at the first sign of land that they would come to.

"Mr. Smee, watch the boy while I go on deck for a moment."

"Yes, sir."

Silver made his way up the steps and James looked at Mr. Smee.

"Are we having fish soup again?"

"That's all there is. Until we go into port again, all we have is the potatoes and salted pork to use for dinner. Luckily we're on the ocean and we have fish to catch. You'll need to remember this when you have a ship of your own."

"Shhh… Don't say things like that out loud. Flint will hear you."

"Silver's bird? Don't worry, lad, that bird goes only with Silver and will never leave is side unless he sleeps. Silver wouldn't dare leave it down here with me."

"Really?" James asked with a smirk.

"Indeed. I almost took its head some time back but Silver caught me because I could chop off its little head." Smee said, cutting the fish head off with a butcher knife. "Had the head stretched and ready."

"You tried to kill John Silver's parrot?"

"Yup. Ended up in the brig for three days for that but Captain Flint gave it easy on me because he hated that Silver named the bird after him and wouldn't have minded seeing it die. Or so he said."

James laughed. "Do you think I should have a parrot?"

"No. There's no use to them."

James nodded and continued to peel the potatoes and talk with Mr. Smee.

* * *

It took James a week to find the exact time for he and the two other pirates to escape without a trace. Unfortunately, the night was going to be stormy one but James assured the others that that was the best part of the whole scheme. The fact that they had to leave under the cover of darkness as well as the cover of a storm, it meant that either Bones and Silver would think that they had been thrown overboard. Silver was pretty smart though so they needed to hurry before the sea got them and took them to its watery grave.

James packed his belongings into a satchel but stopped before he stuck in a special item. It was the ring his mother had given him from his father before she had died of an unknown disease. His father had left to serve in the war and was killed at sea, leaving his poor mother to raise him alone. He clenched his fist over to the ring and searched for a string to put it on and over his neck. Once around his neck, he tucked the ring under his shirt and set out toward the small skiff that was tied to the side of the ship.

As James headed to the boat, he saw Billy Bones talking with Billy Jukes just near the skiff. Billy slid his gaze to James to tell him that he was not to come any further and James ducked behind the cannon. Captain Bones seemed to be in deep conversation with Billy and James began to lose feeling in his legs from crouching down behind the cannon. The thunder rumbled in the sky and James looked up at the accursed sky, daring it to start raining at the moment in time.

Finally, Bones left and went into the captain's chambers. Billy motioned for him to come toward him and James hobbled over.

"Sorry about that, boy, but Bones just kept talking about how the mutiny went and everything. I couldn't let him know that we were about to take this and leave."

"I understand, Billy… Where's Mr. Smee?"

"Here."

Mr. Smee lifted up the tarp on the skiff and smiled at them both.

"I came out here earlier because I had a feeling that something like this would happen. So I took my time and hid in here to be here when you got here."

"Good thinking, Mr. Smee. The storm is about to start and we need to be a considerable distance before then. Let's go."

Billy began to lower the skiff as Mr. Smee and James moved things around to make room for him. He climbed in and he and Mr. Smee lowered them down to the slightly choppy ocean. James pulled out the oars and began to row away from _The Walrus_. They rowed silently for a long time until they were far enough out to turn the lantern on and look at the compass that Billy had taken from the ship. Mr. Smee lit the lantern and Billy held up the compass.

"Which way, Captain?" he asked.

James looked at him in confusion and Mr. Smee smiled.

"You're going to be our captain now, lad. Don't be too surprised at the title. You lead us where you want to go and we will follow."

James nodded and pointed to the N on the compass.

"We'll continue going north."

"Aye, aye…"

James smiled. "You know, Mr. Smee, that _does_ have a nice ring to it."

"What does, sir?"

"Captain… Captain Hook."

* * *

**the walrus is actually from treasure island and is the ship of captain flint. rumor had it that billy jukes came from there...**


End file.
